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08.10.2021 at 17:15 Tallaght Satdium
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Attendance: |
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Under 21 |
2 - 0
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Luxembourg
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Referee: Besfort Kasumi (Kosovo) |
European Qualifier / PROG-match |
Mark Mc Guinness (59)
Tyriek Wright (90)
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Noah Rossler 38 mins;
Lucas Fox 55 mins;
Irvin Latic 67 mins;
Yohann Torres 86 mins;
Dylan Kuete 90 mins;
Kevin D'Anzico 90 mins; |
Republic of Ireland continued their promising start to their UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying campaign as they defeated Luxembourg 2-0 at Tallaght Stadium on Friday night.
8th Oct 2021
Joshua Kayode’s finish early in the first half followed by man of the match Conor Coventry’s penalty in the second half was enough to see Ireland make it seven points out of a possible nine secured in Group F.
Following their 2-0 win away to Bosnia and Herzegovina in September and their 1-1 with the Luxembourgers in Dudelange last month, Ireland were finally playing their first home game of the campaign.
It was also the first time in almost two years that the Irish Under 21s could enjoy the support of their local crowd but they had little to shout about in the opening minutes as their opponents defended deeply.
But that would change in the 18th minute as the Boys in Green took the lead thanks to Kayode.
A great switch of play by Conor Coventry picked out Tyreik Wright in space on the left flank. The Cork native immediately charged at his opponents and his cross from the end-line picked out his number nine, who poked the ball past the keeper at the near post.
It was the visitors who created the best chance to grab the crucial second goal of the game before the half-time break and Ireland were fortunate to see Irvin Latic’s free header from an inswinging free-kick drift just past the bottom left corner.
Jim Crawford’s side started the second period with a higher tempo and they threatened shortly after the restart but after a brilliant run and cross by left-back Joel Bagan, Liam Kerrigan just couldn’t apply the finishing touch on the stretch at the back stick.
But Ireland would finally settle any nerves just past the hour mark as Coventry coolly fired his penalty straight down the middle after Kerrigan was fouled by Franz Sinner inside the box.
From there, the Irish expertly saw out the game - Noss did see his one on one saved by Lucas Fox in the closing stages after Brian Maher denied Kuete in a similar manner at the other end - as their attention turns to their meeting with Montenegro at the Gradski Stadion in Podgorica on Tuesday, October 12th with kick-off set for 4:30 pm Irish time.
Republic of Ireland: Maher; O’Connor, O’Brien, McGuinness, Bagan; Coventry, Kilkenny (Devoy 86), Tierney (Noss 70); Kayode (Ferguson 70), Kerrigan (Gilbert 86), Wright (Moran 92).
Luxembourg: Fox; Bernardy (Torres 65), D’Anzico, Osmanovic, Sinner (Monteiro De Oliveira 76), Schmit; Olesen, Latic, Sacras (Bernard 76); Rossier (Turping 65), Kuete (Erkus 90).
Referee: Besfort Kasumi (Kosovo). |
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